Grammar and style
Numbers, dates, and money
Spell out numbers one through nine in body copy. Use numerals for 10 and above. When two numbers appear in the same context and one falls below 10 while the other is 10 or above, use numerals for both for consistency (see example of numbers in body copy below).
Number exceptions
- Headlines and social media: Numerals are acceptable at any number for readability and space. “7 habits” and “10 reasons” are both fine in a headline. Multiplier shorthand (10x, 2x) is also acceptable in headlines and social media copy.
- Percentages: Always use numerals with the % symbol in body copy
- Ages: always numerals. An 8-year-old agent. Not an eight-year-old agent.
- Ranges: spell out in body copy (five to ten clients). Numerals with an en dash are acceptable in display and social contexts (5–10).
Not thisNine out of 10 agents who work the system stay in the industry longer.
This9 out of 10 agents who work the system stay in the industry longer.
Numbers in body copy in practice
Not this9 reasons Work by Referral outperforms cold calling.
ThisNine reasons Work by Referral outperforms cold calling.
Date formatting rules (AP style)
- Spell out the month in full when used with a specific date: April 16, 2026. Not Apr. 16, 2026 or 4/16/26 in external copy. Exception for design: When space is spatially constrained in a designed asset (e.g., event graphics, slides, social posts), abbreviated months (Apr, Sept) are acceptable. In running copy, always spell out the full month.
- Do not use ordinals with dates: April 16, not April 16th
- Month and year without a specific date: no comma needed. The program launches in April 2026.
- Decades: the 1990s, not the 1990’s
- Years as standalone numerals: always numerals. 2026, not two thousand twenty-six.
Money formatting rules
- Use the $ symbol with numerals. Do not spell out dollar amounts.
- Amounts under $1 million: Use numerals with the $ symbol. $500, $10,000, $250,000.
- Amounts of $1 million and above: use $1M, $2.5M, $10M. Not $1,000,000 or $1 million.
- Amounts of $1 billion and above: use $1B
- GCI figures may appear in external copy when supported by verified data
Note:
These rules govern how numerals, dates, and figures appear in Buffini external copy. AP style is the baseline. These rules take precedence where they differ from AP style.
